1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to couplers for coupling motor vehicles and trailers to be towed by such motor vehicles. The invention is a coupler which closes and locks when a hitch ball is forced within the ball receiving cavity of the coupler.
2. Description of Prior Art
Couplers for coupling vehicles with trailers to be towed are as uncomplicated as hook and pintle connectors. The ball and receiving member on the familiar boat or camper trailer are examples of ball and ball coupler hitches.
Locking mechanisms which lock the trailer ball within the coupling upon insertion of the trailer ball are shown in prior art.
Pierce in U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,553 shows a hinged jaw coupling device with an internal trigger. Isham in U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,517 also shows a coupling device with an internal trigger operating to lock the device when a trailer ball is inserted.
Petitioner's device is designed to hold and lock a trailer connector ball and to eliminate trigger mechanisms mounted within the ball receiving area. These trigger mechanisms become inoperative when filled with debris or when used on a heavy duty operation. They also require numerous moving parts which are subject to fatigue, rusting and wear.
Locking is provided in the petitioner's device by relative movement of massive coupling arms around pivot points mounted within a protective housing.
It is an object of the invention to produce a locking trailer coupler that does not require a separately operated trigger mechanism.
It is an object of the invention to produce a coupler that is of minimum size and with as few moving parts as is possible.
it is an object of the invention to use the relative motion of pivoting coupling arms without a seperate trigger mechanism to effect automatic closure without the necessity of providing a triggering mechanism located in the ball receiving area.